Garment construction



Sept 3, 1940. A M. R. BARNES 2,213,757

GARMENT CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. '7, 1938 ATTORNEY.

15' the garment being an arbitrary average.

Patented Sept. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES GARMENT CONSTRUCTION Mabs Ryden Eames, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., assignor to Hollywood Silk Mills, Los Angeles, Calif., a co-partnership composed of Mabs Ryden Barnes and Wallace E. Barnes Application November 7, 1938, Serial No. 239,194

3 Claims.

This invention pertains to a garment particularly adapted for use in bathing and sports, the garment being essentially made of a woven, relatively non-yielding and non-stretchable mate- 5 rial but provided with portions of resilient material or fabric, such as fabric containing lastex thread. The garment of this invention, although of unitary type, is arranged with convenient outlets which obviate the necessity of completely disrobing and is so constructed that persons differing in torso length are capable of being suitably fitted by the same garment.

Ordinarily, garments are made to t a specified bust or waist measurement, the length of Persons having identical bust and waist measurements, however, will often vary as much as four or even six inches in torso length or distance between the shoulders and crotch. Usual garments, therefore, will not t all persons of a specified bust or waist measurement and variations in torso length are particularly noticeable'ff.

when the garment is of a type which must be provided with panties capable of fitting closely, as, for example, a bathing suit, play suit, etc. The improved construction to which this invention pertains permits a garment to be automatically adjusted to variations in torso length of the wearer.

Furthermore, the ordinary bathing and play suits require that the wearer completely disrobe in the event he wishes to enjoy the facilities of a bathroom or lavatory whereas the garments of this invention are so arranged and constructed that exposure of the upper portion of the body is obviated in such instances. Although the garments of this invention are provided with closely fitting pants made of a resiliently stretchable material including latex or rubber threads' or the 40 like, such pants are an integral part of the garment, and although the outer portion of the garment is made of a non-yielding or nonstretchable fabric, the mode of connection does not result in puckers nor is it obvious to an observer. Moreover, the construction of the garment assures retention of the bust within suitable preformed bust-receiving pockets even though the wearer is engaged in active sports.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a garment in which non-stretchable and stretchable fabrics are utilized to best advantage without detracting from a tailored appearance.

A further object is to provide a garment provided with convenient outlets which do not necessitate complete disrobing or exposure of the upper part of the body.

A still further object is to provide a garment including an outer portionA and underlying panties, the panties forming an integral part of 6 the garment but permitting relative movement of the garment with respect to said panties.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description which shall 10 refer, for purposes of facilitating understanding, to the appended drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a three-quarter front view of` one form of garment embraced by this invention.

Fig. 2 is a three-quarter rear view of the gar- 15 ment, in the position assumed by the garment when on the body, portions of the outer garment being broken away. v v v Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through'a breast-receiving pocket of the garment.

Generally stated, the garment comprises an outer portion made of any desired fabric or cloth, said outer portion being provided with preformed, substantially conical breast-receiving pockets and being adapted to cover the bust, torso and at=l least the upper portion of the thighs. Positioned within the garment are panties, preferably made of a resilient stretchable material, the upper front section of the pants being connected to the lower edge of the bust-receivingy pockets by 30 a connecting member of material capable of stretching freely in any direction, such material being generally referred to in the trade as .two way stretch.

In the type of garment shown in the drawing, the outer portion comprises bust-receiving pookF ets I Il and II and a skirt I2 connected to the bust-receiving pockets. Instead of the short skirt, the garment may terminate in a split skirt provided with large leg openings, or the lower portion of the garment may even continue downwardly so as to form long, wide pant legs. The garment is provided with shoulder straps I3 and I4 extending from the breast-receiving pockets IIJ and II and over the back of the wearer. The back may be provided with a closure I5 which may be of any suitable type, preferably of the type known as the zipper; the bust-receiving portions I0 and II being made of a limp cloth or fabric and preferably connected at the sternum indicated by the seam I6, are preformed into substantially conical breast-receiving pockets terminating at the lower edges I'I, the upper edge of each breast-receiving pocket being inclined upwardly toward each shoulder strap. The sides 55 of such breast-receiving pockets are connected by suitable underarm portions with the back or extend to the closure seam I5. Attention may be called to the fact, however, that the upper edge of the back, indicated at I8, may be relatively low and may even lie below the bust-receiving portions I and II.

As shown v2, the garment also* includes panties 21D made of resiliently stretchable material capable of rmly and closely fitting over the buttocks and hips andv thereby suitably molding the figure.

` vided with a readily releasable closure extending from a leg opening, such as the edge 2.! ofone leg opening to the hip line or to the upper `edge of the pantie, as indicated at 22. rIihis closure 23 may also be of the Talon or zipper type. Ihe lower edge 2| of the pantie '20 is preferably at a higher elevation on the body than the lower edge of the skirt or outer portion I2, which is shown in Fig. .2 as simply a continuation of the breastreceiving pockets I0 and II. I v

The front of the pantie 2li is connected to the lower edge IFI of the breast-receiving pockets by means of I`a member 24 lcomposed of a material resiliently stretchable both horizontally and vertically. The member 24 ordinarily extends over the entire front of the .garment and is connected to the lower edges ofthe breast-receiving pockets rI 0 and I I from one underarm portion to the other underarm portion, although the precise width of such connection may be Varied. It is not necessary, however, for the connecting member to extend completely around the wearer and preferably such connection is only in the front of the garment, as stated.

In actual use it will be found that the bust is received in the breast-receiving pockets I 0 'and I I ,and firmly retained therein, downward tension through the resilient member 24 being exerted upon the lower edge II of such breast-receiving pockets, causing such seam or edge to lie against the body 'of the wearer immediately beneath the bust and effectively preventing the breast-receiving pockets ID and II from crawling upwardly overthe bust even though the wearer is engaged in active sports, swimming, or the like. Furthermore, since the member 24 is resiliently stretchable both horizontally and vertically, the outer portion I2 of the garment `may freely move over the pantie and over the connecting member 24 and the distance separating a bust-receiving pocket from the upper front edge of the pantie 2Q may vary with bodily movements without destroying suitable supporting contact of such lbreastreceiving pocket with the body. The vdesirable .feature of the releasable closure 23 need not be referred to again.V

Since vthe upper edge of the back, indicated at I8, may be quite low (even below the level of vthe breast-receiving pockets Ill and Il), it is desirable that the run of material used in the back panels, such as the panel 26, be substantially in line with the shoulder strap I4 so `that very little,

Such panties 20 are preferably pro- Y if any, bias exists along the edge I8 in the direction of the lower margin of the arm opening.

In View of the fact that the connecting member or section 24 is resiliently stretchable both horizontally and vertically, persons of different torso length may wear the same garment provided, however, no great variation in bust measurement exists, the member 124 compensating for variations in torso length.

I claim:

1. A garment adapted for use in bathing and sports, comprising: an outer portion adapted to cover the bust, torso and upper thighs, said outer portion being'made of relatively non-stretchable fabric and being provided with preformed breastreceiving pockets; a pantie made of elastic resilient material and adapted to closely iit the body, said pantie including a pair of leg openings and a substantially vertically extending closure from one of said leg openings; and a section of resilient stretchable material connecting 'the lower inside edgeof said preformed breast-receiving pockets with the top of the iront portion of said pantie, said section being resiliently stretchable both horizontally and vertically, whereby said `pantie is integrally but yieldably associated with said outer portion.

2. A garment adapted for use in bathing and sports, comprising: an outer portion adapted to cover the bust, ltorso and upper thighs,- said youter portion being made of relatively non-stretchable fabric and being provided v with preformed breast-receiving pockets; a pantie made of elastic resilient material and adapted to closely iit the body, said pantie including a pair of legopenings and a substantially vertically extending clovsure from one of said leg openings; and a section of resilient stretchable material connecting the lower inside edgeof said preformed breast-receiving pockets with the top of the front portion of said pantie, said sectionl being resiliently stretchable both horizontally and vertically, whereby said pantie is integrally but yieldably associated with said outer portion, downward tension in said section, when the garment is worn, tendingA to maintain the bust of the wearer within said pockets.

3. vA garment adapted for use in bathing and sports, comprising: an outer portion adapted to cover the bust, torso and upper thighs, said outer portion being made of relatively,non-stretchable fabric' and being provided with preformed breastreceiving pockets; a pantie made of elastic resilient material and adapted to closely t the body, said pantie including a pair of leg openings; and a section of resilient stretchable material connecting the lower inside edge of said lpreformed breast-receiving pockets with the top of the front portion of said pantie, said section being resiliently stretchable both horizontally and vertically, whereby said pantie is lintegrally but yieldably associated with said outerportion.

MABS RYDEN BARNES. 

